PROSECUTORS are set to charge former prime minister Najib Razak and former 1Malaysia Development Berhad CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy today with tampering of the state investment fund’s final audit report.
Najib was arrested after he turned up for questioning at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission headquarters on Monday afternoon but released hours later.
Arul Kanda was arrested yesterday at the MACC headquarters and was not allowed bail. Both men are expected to be charged separately in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.
Arul Kanda headed 1MDB from January 2015 until June this year, when his services were terminated.
Auditor-General Madinah Mohamad issued a statement last month claiming alterations were made to the 1MDB audit report submitted by her predecessor, Ambrin Buang, in 2016.
She said the altered report also dropped any mention of fugitive financier Low Taek Jho at a 1MDB board meeting as well as its financial status.
Ambrin, however, has repeatedly denied doctoring the report.
Arul Kanda’s lawyer, N. Sivananthan, said he would be charged under Section 23 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 with power abuse.
Over the past two weeks, MACC has been calling up individuals in its investigations into the audit report, including former MACC chief commissioner Dzulkifli Ahmad, Ambrin, and officers from National Audit Department and Finance Ministry.
Najib is already facing 38 charges related to 1MDB.
The Malaysian Insight brings you live coverage of the proceedings.
8.45am: Judge Rozina Ayob to hear Arul Kanda’s case.
8.35am: Former prime minister Najib Razak arrives at the KL Sessions Court accompanied by MACC officers and a few supporters.
8.32am: Former Federal Territories minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor appears at the court complex.
8.05am: K. Arul Kanda arrives in the court complex accompanied by MACC officers.
ARUL KANDA HEADS FOR KL COURT AFTER OVERNIGHT STAY IN MACC LOCKUP
PUTRAJAYA: Former chief executive officer of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), Arul Kanda Kandasamy, has left the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission headquarters, heading to the Kuala Lumpur Court.
Arul Kanda was seen exiting the MACC gate in a Honda Odyssey at about 7.35am.
He has been detained over the tampering of 1MDB final audit report. He was arrested at about 10.35am yesterday and was not allowed bail. He would be brought to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to be charged today.
His lawyer Datuk N. Sivananthan had confirmed that his client would be charged under Section 23 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 for power abuse.
Arul Kanda was seen exited the MACC gate in a Honda Odyssey at about 7.35am
Arul Kanda is scheduled to be charged together with former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today.
Media had reported that the MACC was still in the process of recording statements from several people involved in the tampering of 1MDB audit report, including Arul Kanda.
All of them had been called in to facilitate investigation since two weeks ago, among them were Najib, former MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad, former auditor general Tan Sri Ambrin Buang, and officers from National Audit Department and Finance Ministry.
On Nov 25, Auditor General Tan Sri Dr Madinah Mohamad had claimed that the final audit report on 1MDB had been tampered with Najib’s knowledge.
She also disclosed that two crucial matters dropped from the report were on the presence of wanted businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low at a 1MDB board meeting as well as the financial status of 1MDB.
NST
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